Aviva Valparaiso recognizes service of local veterans at annual complimentary breakfast

Aviva Valparaiso honored the service of veterans in its community and the wider Valparaiso area with a complimentary breakfast during the assisted living facility’s annual Veterans Breakfast. Aviva Residents and staff, members of the community, and Aviva Valparaiso’s partners all joined together to honor veterans from across all branches of the armed forces.

“We want to appreciate all of our veterans for all the things they’ve done for us, our community, and the people in our building,” Aviva Valparaiso Director of Sales Tricia Catlin said. “This is a great way to give back to the veterans of Valparaiso, show how much we appreciate their service, and let them know that they are not forgotten.”

The breakfast, prepared right in the kitchen of Aviva Valparaiso, featured a diverse spread of eggs, breakfast meats, potatoes, fresh fruit, juices, and dessert. Family members came to join residents as they dined. Some of the organizations Aviva Valparaiso works closely with were also in attendance to support the breakfast, including VNA Hospice NWI, First Light, Valpo Y and Porter County Aging and Community Services.

Beyond honoring the service of the attending veterans, events like Aviva Valparaiso’s Veterans Breakfast give residents an opportunity to engage with their community. This is incredibly important to Catlin and the rest of her team in maintaining residents’ happiness and dignity.

“Aviva Valparaiso is part of the community, and so are our residents and staff,” Catlin said. “Just because our residents have moved to Aviva Valparaiso doesn’t mean that they are no longer part of the community that they grew up in and raised their kids in.”

It also gives Aviva Valparaiso the chance to share more about its services and offerings with people who might otherwise have never learned about this valuable resource.

Jim Bays, one of the attending veterans and an Aviva Valparaiso resident, discovered the assisted living facility through his son. Bays served in the Navy from 1943-46 and just recently became a centenarian. When his wife passed away, Bays’ son recommended he look into becoming a resident at Aviva Valparaiso. It’s a decision he doesn’t regret.

“I couldn’t live anywhere else and take care of myself anymore,” Bays said. “I’ve been lucky to run into people who want to help. The Department of Veteran Affairs helped with the cost, and my son helped get me here.”

Bays, along with the other veterans in attendance, was presented with a certificate recognizing his service. He was also able to participate in a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance before breakfast began. Once breakfast concluded, the official songs of every branch of the armed forces.

Breakfast concluded with guests learning more about how they can support Aviva Valparaiso. The assisted living facility hosts a variety of fun and engaging events throughout the year, including December’s upcoming Wreaths for a Reason. You will see a variety of wreaths donated by businesses up for bid to raise funds for Hospice Foundations in Valparaiso. The Open House will be held December 10^th from 4:00-5:30 and is open to the community.

“We’re doing Wreaths for a Reason to give back to various Hospice foundations, organizations, and people who have supported us like VNA Hospice NWI, Dunes Hospice, and Heart to Heart Hospice,” Catlin said. “They all support us and our residents, and we want to give back to them.”

To stay up to date with everything happening at Aviva Valparaiso, visit avivavalparaiso.com.